There really is only one time a year when I bake a cake. For Little Hippie's birthday. This cake is the most wonderfully chocolate, moist, rich, decadent cake I've ever had, much less made myself. It literally melts in your mouth. I only make this cake once a year because, A. It's a lot of work, and B. it's loaded with sugary, gluteny goodness. It's cake after all and I make no apologies. I use only the best ingredients and enjoy every bite each year.
I ran across this recipe many years ago and have never tried another. Jamie Schler from Life's A Feast created her original based on another recipe from Abigail Johnson Dodge for Bon Appétit Magazine. And I, of course have adapted it further to suit my own tastes and preferences. Without further ado, I present:
The Best Chocolate Espresso Cake You Will Ever Make
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CAKE INGREDIENTS:
2 cups organic raw cane sugar
3/4 cup organic unsweetened cocoa powder or chocolate bars
1 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine ground sea salt
2 large organic pasture raised eggs
1 cup organic whole milk
1/2 cup organic sunflower or avocado oil
1 cup hot, organic prepared coffee
FROSTING INGREDIENTS:
16 tbsp organic grass-fed butter, softened
3.2 oz unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot, organic prepared coffee
16 oz mascarpone cheese
Cooking Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Well grease and flour pans of your choice. I've used two 9" rounds as well as two 9 x 13" pans with success.
Set aside frosting ingredients for later use.
In a large mixing bowl, combine dry cake ingredients. Mix well.
Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and mix on low until combined, then increase to medium for 2 minutes. Carefully add the hot coffee, mixing by hand until combined. Batter will be very liquidy. Divide the batter between cake pans, and place on center rack in oven.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes or under center is just set (I test with a toothpick every 5 minutes over 30.)
Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Flip onto rack and allow to cool completely. HINT #1 for Flawless Frosting:
Put the separate cake layers in a freezer for 3 hours to overnight. Frosting:In a mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar. Add cocoa and very slowly mix in hot coffee. Mix on medium until light and fluffy. Add mascarpone until well combined and creamy. Frost cake. HINT #2 for Flawless Frosting:
Stack the frozen layers, with a thick layer of frosting in between. Crumb frost the top and sides with a very thin layer of frosting and place back in the freezer for a few hours before removing and thickly frosting the rest of the cake. HINT #3 for Flawless Frosting:
Use a metal spatula, and heat it under hot running water before smoothing out the frosting. Periodically reheat it under hot water when it gets sticky again.
Enjoy!
